Helical fire escape



Jan. 5, 1932. L. B. WEBSTER 1,839,363

HELICAL FIRE ESCAPE Filed Aug. 16, 1928' 2 Sheets-Shet 1 INVEN TOR.

I BY I A TTORNEY.

1932! L. B. WEBSTER HELICAL FIRE ESCAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16,1928 mum/T012. Z. 3 WeZs'Ter ATTORNEY.

25 inc.

. lenses LAWRENCE B. WEBSTER, or OMAHA, I\TEBRASKA',.ASSTGNOR1TO c. s.coonnns HELICAL FIRE ESCAPE Application filed August 16, 1928. SerialNo: 300,000.

The object of the invention is to providea fire escape so constructed asto afford a safe, easily accessible and rapid passage way for a largenumber of individuals and one which will permit a hurried exit, freefrom association with unpleasant or exciting features through theprocess of entering, descending or alighting therefrom. A

A further object is to provide an escape 1 of this character that willbe self supported upon a substantial base and require little or noanchorage, to a sustaining frame work or building, intermediate itsextremities."

A further object is to provide an escape having an enclosed helicalsliding passage way with slope and curvature sufliciently reduced andstraightened, adjacent the eXit, to forestall inconvenience in landing.

A further object is to provide a fire escape 29 comprising a cylindricalcasing formed in sections, each section having a portion of a helicalslidway therein so that the fire escape as a Whole can be shipped insections, and assembled for use in connection with a build- With theabove and other objects in view the invention resides in the combinationand arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in thedrawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in theprecise embodiment of the invention may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the escape including the housing, partlyin section, surrounding the same.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the escape, partly in section, includingits entrance, and housing surrounding the same and attached to abuilding adjacent the entrance.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the escape and a portionof a building.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line t-l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side view ofa sustaining band uniting the adjacentsections of the slideway.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the '50 pipe showing the band inplan view.

Figure-7 is a viewofone of the spring'actuatin hinges employed tovforcethe doors.

open when released;

' Figure'S' is a vertical transverse sectional View through one side ofoneofthebands and port-ions of adj acent pipe sections.

' In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a base, preferably composedof concrete, which affords a foundation upon which rests a tubularhelical slideway 2, which is inclosed within a metallic housing 3, andis secured thereto by means of amultiplicity of braces 4. The slide waycomprises sections ofoonvenient shipping lengths which are united bymeans of pairs of interlocking bands 5 surrounding the adjoining seamsand clamped by means of draw bolts 6 which pass through radialextensions 7 protruding outwardly from the inner member of each-pair ofbands.

The said slideway, at its upper end, terminates in an entrance '8leading from an elevated fioor 8a of an occupied building through ahorizontal passage 9 flush with the said floor and verging graduallyinto the interior of the circular inclined portion of the slidewaypassage. The lower end of the inclination is gradually reduced,terminating at the exit 11 in a slight upward inclination so as to bringthe velocity of an individual passing through the slideway within safeand'convenient limits.

The entrance 8, is provided with a closure comprising a pair of doors 12normally retained in a closed position by any suitable means against theforce of spring hinges 18 adapted to force the said doors open in adirection outwardly from the room into the passageway 8.

From the above it will be seen that a fire escape is provided formedfrom. sections which may be easily and quickly assembled for use ordisassembled for shipment or storage purposes. Each helical section iscarried by its casing section as a unit.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful isl. A fire escape comprising a vertically disposed casing, said casingbeing formed from a plurality of sections, and a tubular helicalslideway within the casing, said slideway lift? being formed from aplurality of sections detachably connected, said sections of the silde-Way being attached tocasing sections and carried thereby, therebyallowing shipment and 5 storage of the sections in disassembledrelation, said casing sections forming sole bracing means for thehelical sections when assembled and disassembled.

2. A fire escape comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical casing,said casing being formed in sections, a tubular helically shaped 1slideway Within the casing, said slideWay bei ing formed from aplurality of sections, sect-ions of the slideway being carried by eachcasing section, and means for attaching the slideway sections togetherafter the casing sections are placed in superimposed relation, saidcasing sections forming sole bracing means for the helical sections Whenassembled and disassembled.

LAWRENCE B. WEBSTER.

